Köpenick Güterbahnhof: Call for Ideas for Community-Oriented Projects – €20,000 Fund Available
Date of Publication: December 23, 2025
Last Updated: December 23, 2025
Applies to: Residents, initiatives, and local actors in Berlin-Köpenick
In the coming years, one of the most significant urban development projects in southeast Berlin will be realized in Köpenick, both above and below the railway line. Approximately 1,800 new apartments are planned for the area of the former Güterbahnhof. Residents, initiatives, and local actors are encouraged to submit their own project ideas for this new urban quarter.
For the year 2026, the Area Fund of the urban development measure is providing a total of €20,000 to support community-oriented and neighborhood-strengthening projects. The goal is to actively shape the emerging urban quarter not only structurally but also socially and culturally.
What is the Area Fund at Köpenick Güterbahnhof?
The Area Fund is part of the urban development measure on the former freight yard site in Berlin-Köpenick. Over the next few years, a new, mixed-use urban quarter will emerge in this area, featuring apartments, social facilities, green spaces, and commercial uses. Alongside the structural development, the fund aims to support projects that strengthen neighborhood cohesion, promote local networks, and provide sustainable impetus for the quarter.
According to the Senate administration, projects within the development area itself and its immediate vicinity will be funded. The maximum funding per project is €5,000. Eligible applicants include citizens, businesses, property owners, associations, and other local actors who wish to implement their project idea within the defined funding area.
Submit Your Project Ideas by February 28, 2026
Project ideas for funding in 2026 must be submitted by February 28, 2026, as announced by the Senate Department for Urban Development, Building and Housing. In the first step, a project outline is sufficient. Subsequently, the project will be concretized in coordination with the Senate Department as the funding body.
A central part of the selection process is the presentation of projects to the Area Advisory Board. This presentation is scheduled for April 15, 2026. The board evaluates the submitted ideas based on defined funding objectives and proposes selected projects for funding. Only after this recommendation will the complete application form be submitted and reviewed.
Clear Funding Objectives for Community-Oriented Projects
Strategic objectives have been defined for the selection of projects. These include, in particular, the activation and participation of citizens, the strengthening of identification and networking within the quarter, and the promotion of sustainable and long-term effective impulses.
The allocation of funds will then be based on Berlin’s subsidy law, in accordance with the relevant regulations of the State Budget Code. Interested project sponsors will be advised and supported throughout the entire process by the project managers.
How to Get Involved and Submit Your Idea
The Senate Department offers assistance with both the conceptual development of ideas and the formal application process. This ensures that even smaller initiatives or first-time applicants have a realistic chance of receiving funding.
With this call for ideas, the neighborhood has the opportunity to actively shape the development of the new urban quarter at Köpenick Güterbahnhof. In addition to structural transformation, social, cultural, and ecological aspects are to be brought into focus early on. The Area Fund sees itself as an instrument to make local ideas visible and to jointly develop the identity of the emerging quarter.
If you would like to actively participate in the design, you can do so here.
Key Dates at a Glance:
- Submission Deadline for Project Ideas: February 28, 2026
- Project Presentation to Advisory Board: April 15, 2026
- Maximum Funding per Project: €5,000
- Total Fund for 2026: €20,000
Contact and Support:
For assistance with your project idea or the application process, please contact the Senate Department for Urban Development, Building and Housing:
- Email: [Contact Email – not provided in source data]
- Phone: [Contact Phone – not provided in source data]
- Website: [Relevant Website – not provided in source data]
Note: While the source indicates support is available, specific contact details for the Senate Department were not provided in the raw data. Please refer to official Berlin government websites for direct contact information.
Source: Bezirksamt Treptow-Köpenick, Senatskanzlei, Senatsverwaltung für Stadtentwicklung, Bauen und Wohnen, mein Berlin, Gebietsfonds der städtebaulichen Entwicklungsmaßnahme
